Toy construction systems have been known for decades. Over the years, simple box-shaped building blocks have been supplemented with dedicated construction elements with either a specific appearance or a mechanical or electrical function to enhance the play value. Such functions include e.g. motors, switches and lamps, but also programmable processors that accept input from sensors and can activate function elements in response to received sensor inputs.
Self-contained function construction elements exist which have a function device adapted to perform a preconfigured function, an energy source for providing energy to the function device for performing the function, and a trigger responsive to an external trigger event to trigger the function device to perform the function. Typically, such known function construction elements are designed for manual activation of a mechanical trigger and only provide a limited play value.
WO2007/137577 discloses a toy construction system comprising function elements and control elements. The function and control elements are electrically interconnectable via a system of wires and plugs, such that the function elements receive both electrical power and control signals from the control elements. Even though this system avoids the need for an electrical power source in the function elements, it requires a certain level of abstract thinking and technical insight in order to correctly interconnect the construction elements so as to construct functional toy models from such a system. In particular, an understanding of how a control structure constructed from such a construction system works requires basic knowledge about electricity and that electrical signals may be used to control functions. Moreover, this prior art system requires electrical connections, e.g. in the form of wires, between the elements, thus limiting the freedom to freely construct toy construction elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,354,918 discloses a method to elicit a behaviour in response to a simplex communication signal. In this prior art method a receiver device receives an encoded simplex communication signal including an identifier from a transmitter device. The method further comprises referencing a stored program in the receiver device to a stored program block corresponding to the identifier. The receiver device then initiates execution of the program block and renders a behaviour in accordance with or corresponding to the program block corresponding to the simplex communication signal. The receiver device includes a program database, wherein the receiver is programmed to reference a stored program block of the program database corresponding to the identifier. The receiver device also includes mechanisms to enable a behaviour in accordance with the program block to be audibly and visibly perceived.
GB 2342813 discloses an educational toy system that comprises a transmitting and receiving toy wherein the transmitting toy is capable of remotely controlling the receiving toy. The transmitting toy comprises a monitoring device which monitors for status changes such as detection of vibration, orientation, ultrasonic or infrared signals and, in response, sends output signals containing identification and status-dependent action data. The identification data identifies the receiving toy to be affected whilst the action data tells the toy what action to perform (eg production of movement, sound or light). The receiving toy compares the identification data with one or more stored id's and if it has a predefined relationship with one of the id's, performs the action corresponding to the action data. At least one of the identification data transmitted by the transmitting toy and the stored id's of the receiving toy may be programmed by the user. The receiving toy can be put into a programming mode wherein it listens for the identification data of a nearby transmitting toy and stores that data in its list of stored id's.
WO 2010/23070 discloses a toy construction system comprising construction elements with coupling members for releasably interconnecting construction elements, the toy construction system comprising function construction elements with such coupling members and each having a function device adapted to perform a controllable function and an energy source for providing energy to the function device for performing the controllable function, each function construction element comprising a light sensor for receiving visible light encoding a control signal; and a control circuit connected to the light sensor and to the function device and adapted to decode the received control signal and to control the controllable function responsive to the decoded control signal.
It is generally desirable to provide a toy construction system with new construction elements that are suitable for use in such a system, and that will enhance the educational and play value of the system. Even though the above prior art systems provide for a wired or wireless control of functions in a function element, it remains desirable to provide a toy construction system wherein a set of function construction elements may easily be used in different toy construction models and interchangeably with other function construction elements. Moreover it is desirable to provide a toy construction system that allows users, in particular children, to construct multiple interactive toy models in a user-friendly, efficient, yet flexible and reliable manner without the need for a detailed knowledge of control structures and wireless data communication.